a collection of things that make me smile

i doodled a page in my Morning Pages that told of things that make me cheer me up and make me smile... smiling makes that little bubble of joy burst softly inside me. no matter how dark the clouds are, no matter how hard it's raining, no matter that it's only 51 degrees on the second day of summer... smiling makes it better. so the more i smile, the better it gets... THIS is why i fill my life with things that make me smile.

God painting the sky at the end of the day with colors of purple, rose, orange, fiery red, and gold... that makes me smile.

looking at Johnny Depp makes me smile. come on, did you SEE HIM in Chocolat?!

hanging clothes on the line, the smell of clothes hung on the line, other peoples clothes dancing in the breeze on the line... yep! makes me smile. clothes out on the line in the rain...makes me laugh out loud. (a little northwest humor...)

working in my morning pages, re-reading my morning pages... that such easy happiness can be found in simple little things like glue, paper, old magazines. i find it simply amazing.

the view of my bohemian mountain majesty... simply makes me stop in my tracks and breathe in the joy and awesomeness of the sight. and yes, it really does make me smile every time.

my daughters bring me such joy and happiness and amuse me to no end. (s0 d0 my sons but they are not in this picture...). AND, the ocean IS my favorite place on the planet. i love tropical beaches and warm tropical waters but the Oregon coast is without a doubt unequaled in my heart's desire and affection. when i am here, i cannot stop smiling.

black cat makes me smile and almost always laugh out loud. his antics are just so amusing! life is just one big frolicking adventure to him. and that outlook is so contagious! he brings joy to my world.

...and the kittens!!! who can resist smiling about kittens? aren't they just adorable?! i would have to add to that: babies and any kind of baby animals...

again, a two-fold thing... sidewalk chalk gets me down on my hands and knees every time with a giant grin on my face!!! here on a sidewalk in Costa Rica i tell My Honey how i feel about him. it made me grin and it made him smile, too. i love 2-for-1 bargains!

i am totally infatuated with henna tattoos. i can't explain it but something about the intricacy and swirls and being on your hands and feet and not being permanent... it is a fabulous art!! and i love doodling them in my Morning Pages...

by "big fun" i mean kid-sized fun. the kind grown-ups are afraid to have... silly, over the top, goofy, free, and wildly imaginative... dress-up, bubbles, belly-laughing, tree climbing, skipping, hula hoops, make believe, living-out-loud kind of fun. makes me smile watching it. makes me smile doing it. hope there is BIG FUN in your day today... let your smile loose, to show up on your face over every little thing. smiles are contagious so pass them around lavishly.